


this is what dreams are made of (or nightmares)

by wayhaughtz



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Basketball, Bathroom Kisses, Cheerleaders, College, Domestic Fluff, Domestic Waverly Earp/Nicole Haught, Drunk Nicole Haught, F/F, Fluff, Forehead Kisses, House Parties, Jealous Waverly, Little Sisters, Near Death Experience, Nicole Haught Backstory, Skater Nicole, Slow Burn, Soccer, Wayhaught - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-15
Updated: 2019-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-12 15:00:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13549788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayhaughtz/pseuds/wayhaughtz
Summary: Nicole Haught is a loner skater girl freshman at Ghost River University who meets the spunky Waverly Earp at a house party. They quickly become friends and turn to each other for everything, despite Nicole's obvious feelings for the other girl. They go through a lot over the span of their freshman and sophomore years at Ghost River. There are a lot of ups and downs that the girls have to fight through.





	this is what dreams are made of (or nightmares)

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! Thanks for reading ;) Follow me on twitter @lovebarrell
> 
> Hope you enjoy my fic.!!!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Waverly, if he likes you it’s because you’re a pretty awesome person.”
> 
> The brunette shoves Nicole softly, “Yeah, whatever skater girl.”
> 
> “It’s true! Come on, who wouldn’t want to ask you out?” For the first time tonight Nicole isn't thinking about how awkward she’s acting. The corners of her mouth curl up as she looks toward the brunette. 
> 
> Waverly blushes, “Thanks, Nicole.”
> 
> She smiles warmly, “Anytime you need a reminder, I'm right here.”
> 
> “You’re a good person, you don't always meet people like you.”
> 
> Nicole shrugs, “I’m nothing special, actually, I’m quite the opposite.”
> 
> Waverly frowns, “I think you’re pretty cool… you know, if you ask me.”
> 
> Nicole smiles down at her lap, she shyly pushes red hair behind her ear but lets it fall in front of her eyes again. The girls spend the rest of their night talking. Waverly shares her dream of becoming a songwriter. She promises she’ll sing something for Nicole sometime. Nicole listens to everything Waverly says, she doesn't have much to add to the conversation but she is eager to hear what the other girl has to say.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for clicking on my fic! Hope you enjoy :)

“It’s the first weekend, come on Nicole.” Rosita, Nicole’s roommate tugs at her arm.

Nicole starts, “I already have to read three chapters of this book and-”

“One hour! Please!” Rosita closes Nicole’s copy of 1984 and is now almost lying on the redhead’s lap.

“Please” she drags with a smile.

It’s Friday evening, the weekend of their first week at Ghost River University. Somehow Rosita scored an invitation to one of the parties off campus, but all Nicole wants to do is finish hanging up her _Nirvana_ and _Red Hot Chili_ Peppers posters before it gets too late. Rosita doesn't back down though and eventually, Nicole is pulling her long red hair up in a loose ponytail as she applies her eyeliner and changes into a tight fitted black crop-top. She stares at herself in the mirror, cursing under her breath about how Rosita somehow convinced her to go out despite her many complaints.

“You look hot. Let’s go,” Rosita purrs as she pulls on Nicole’s arm again, dragging her out of the room.  

Nicole protests but before she knows it she's sitting on some random kid’s dirty couch smack in the middle of a party with a hand full of other freshman jumping around her. Her roommate is having the time of her life, but Nicole really just wants to curl up in bed and listen to her own music. She impatiently plays with the fray on her denim shorts while some upperclassman grinds against Rosita. She rolls her eyes and throws her head back, downing a shot of tequila.

“Hey! You’re in my Psych 101 class. You sit in the back,” A brunette, a gorgeous little thing, throws her body down next to Nicole on the couch. The redhead nearly chokes on her shot, “Why aren't you dancing with everyone else?”

Nicole looks at the smaller girl beside her, suddenly she’s insecure about how her shirt is a bit too tight around her ribs. She coughs as she tugs at it, “Not my scene." 

“Then why are you here?” The other girl smiles softly, it momentarily stuns Nicole and the redhead has trouble answering.

She shrugs slightly, her fingers gripping her empty nip bottle tighter, “My roommate dragged me. Parties are her thing, not mine.”

“Come on! Parties are super, duper fun, just give them a chance.” The girl stands up and extends her hand toward Nicole. “Want to dance?” she asks softly. Nicole hesitates but the look on the other girl’s face is so inviting she can't help but accept the offer and let herself be dragged into the crowd. A song Nicole’s never heard plays as the shorter girl starts jumping around her, a wide grin on her face. Nicole giggles, her head just barely bobbing to the beat. “Dance!” the shorter girl yells over the music. Nicole pouts but once again gives in to the pretty girl dancing in front of her, the brunette's hands grabbing her wrists softly and begins flailing them around the both of their heads. Rosita sees them dancing and winks at her, Nicole looks back confused but quickly the shorter girl jumps in front of her face. “See! Fun!”

Nicole rolls her eyes, a smile plastered on her face. The shorter girl shoves her gently, Nicole smirks, “Yeah, fine whatever it’s fun.”

The girl jumps up and down with an open-mouthed smile. “See! This is college, it's time to let loose a little,” the girl is still holding onto Nicole and she could hardly think with those tiny hands gripped around her wrists so tight.

Behind her a girl with blonde hair grabs at the brunette's shoulder, “Earp, we’re leaving.”

The other girl lets go of Nicole, giving an apologetic smile as the blonde drags her through the crowd. Nicole waits until the girl, who never told her her name, was gone before she touches Rosita’s arm, “I’m leaving, are you good here alone?”

“I’ll come with you,” she turns her head back towards the boy whose hands are connected to her waist, “See ya, Steve.”

The boy frowns, “Stefan.”

Rosita mouths “yikes” to Nicole as the redhead stood holding in a giggle. They stumble back to their dorm together, both slightly intoxicated. Rosita goes on about how the upperclassmen grabbed her ass. Nicole listens painfully until she turns the key in their door.

“Do you know who that girl was?” Nicole asks, her back to Rosita. 

Her roommate laughs, “She’s pretty isn't she.”

“What?” Nicole falters slightly as Rosita shuts the door.

She smiles, “I've seen her around, but I don't know her name. I think she lives across the quad though.”

Nicole looks at the dorm hall across from hers from her the window, “Oh.”

Rosita adds, “She seemed to like you.”

Nicole nods, her eyes still on the other dorm hall.

So Nicole spends the rest of the weekend riding her skateboard on the freshly paved pathways of the quad in hopes she would see the girl again, she just wants to ask the brunette her name. She catches herself staring at the dorm’s double doors as she rides the opposite direction, right off the pathway and into the grass where she went flying forward. Some girls looked up from their blanket in the grass choking back giggles. Nicole groans, lying on her back as she stares up at the clouds.

“Hey psychology girl, are you okay?” the brunette stands above her, her long hair in two braids down her shoulders.

Nicole sits up, her hand on her head, “You saw that?”

The brunette giggles, “The whole thing.”

The redhead mumbles, “Great.”

The other girl helps pull Nicole to her feet, “You skateboard?” she asks softly.

Nicole looks at her board, still peacefully lying on the edge of the grass, “Yeah, not very well apparently.”

The brunette snorts softly, “You looked pretty good before you went flying.”

Nicole’s cheeks flush, _she_ was watching her skateboard. Nicole kicks the dirt, “Thanks.” They stare at each other for a moment, Nicole unsure what to say next. “Hey, I never caught your name.”

“Waverly,” she grins.

Nicole can’t help but smile, “Nicole.” The redhead nervously plays with her long hair as Waverly sways back and forth on the tips of her toes.

“After I left the party did you enjoy yourself?” the shorter girl asks as she pulls her braids over her shoulders.

Nicole shows off her teeth, “I left right after.”

“No, not allowed. Next weekend I’m taking you out and we’re going to have a good time,” Waverly demands. “College is your last chance to have a good time before you turn into a real adult with real responsibilities.”

Nicole looks at the ground, “Parties really aren't my scene, Waverly. 

“Then what do you do for fun, skater girl?”

Nicole looks up smiling, “I guess i'd rather drink in a small group of friends than go to a party.”

Waverly smirks, “So tonight, me you and that roommate of yours, we’re going to have a good time.” She nods, proud of herself.

“Oh really?” Nicole’s eyebrows lift.

“Yes! It’s going to be so fun, I’ll get the booze just bring yourself and maybe that skateboard.” Waverly pulls out her phone, “Number?” Nicole chokes, her hand reaching for the shorter girls phone. She puts in her number and sends herself a text, her phone buzzes in her pocket as she hands it back to Waverly. She smiles as she tucks the phone back into her shorts, “Perfect, be ready for 9. I’ll text you when you can head over to my room.” Waverly is all smiles and Nicole finds it extremely difficult to pay attention to what is being said when all her attention is on how adorable the shorter girl looks out in the daylight.

“Sure.”

Waverly rolls her eyes as she heads towards her dorm, “Wear a helmet if you’re going to fall off your skateboard all the time.”

Nicole calls after her, “Hey! I don’t fall all the time.” Waverly waves her hand over her head to dismiss Nicole playfully as the redhead picks up her board. She nervously checks the time on her watch, 4:05. She has about 5 hours until she sees the pretty brunette again and she’s far too anxious to breathe. Before she passes out in the middle of the quad, she runs inside to tell Rosita that they’re going out tonight.  
  
When she walks into the room Rosita is lying on the floor, “Nicole it’s a Sunday.”  
  
“Come on, it’ll be fun.”  
  
Rosita sits up and looks at Nicole, “But, what won’t be fun is the hangover tomorrow.”  
  
“Then don’t drink too much” she pouts. “Come on Rosita, you made me go out on Friday.”  
  
Rosita rolls her eyes, “Fine! Only because I know you have a crush on whatsername.” Nicole doesn't say anything, Rosita rolls her eyes again, “Come on Nicole you don’t have to hide it.”  
  
“I-” Nicole frowns, “It’s that obvious?”  
  
The other girl laughs, “I saw your pride pin on the inside of your jacket, you don't have to pretend to be someone you're not around me. We’re the same.”

Nicole cocks her head to the right, “The same?”

“I’m Bi, I think... I don't know, I’m still figuring it out.” Rosita smiles, “She is pretty isn't she?”

Nicole nods, her hands feeling clammy, “Yeah.”

Rosita pulls herself to her feet, “Okay, let's get you ready then.”

Waverly texts her, it’s 8:20 and the shorter girl is asking Nicole over early. She panics, suddenly the pressure to not weird the other girl out is apparent. She’s not very good in social situations. Rosita does her best to calm the redhead down as they walk across the quad to meet a perky Waverly besides the dorm doors.

Waverly beams, “Hey! I’m Waverly.”

Rosita smirks, “Rosita.”

Waverly’s attention then falls on Nicole, “Hi skater girl.”

Nicole tugs at her red flannel nervously, “So what do you have planned for tonight.”

Waverly looks between the two of them, “I invited a girl from down the hall and her roommate to join us, I figured we would put a movie on and just hang out. I’m going to braid Nicole’s hair,” she winks at the redhead. Rosita giggles as Nicole’s face turns the same shade as her auburn hair. “It’s so pretty,” Waverly reaches out and touches her long red locks, “the color is so vibrant and it’s so long and - wow, soft.”

Nicole blinks, “Thanks.”

Waverly steps back and opens the dorm door, she waits for the other girls to walk in before she lets go and watches the door close behind her. Her room is on the second floor, sandwiched between the two boy floors. She has a single, her roommate dropped out less than a week in, Waverly said she hardly got to talk to her before she was gone again. The room is decorated immaculately, everything matches. Floral and pink everywhere Nicole looks, and the room even smells like daisies at their peak.

The blonde girl from the party is sitting on a beanbag chair in the middle of the room, a water bottle filled with a red drink in her hand. Another girl sits behind her on Waverly’s baby pink comforter. She smiles at the three of them when they entered, “Hey, I’m Chrissy.

“Rosita,” her roommate looks at her, “and this is Nicole.”

Waverly flings herself onto the bed beside Chrissy, “And that’s Stephanie” she says as she bounces. Nicole leans against the wall, quietly she observes the other girls socializing. Eventually, Waverly huffs and puffs and pulls Nicole into the wooden desk chair so she could play with her long hair. The redhead tried her best to join in the conversation but they were mostly talking about boys she’s never even met and how big of a bitch Stacey from the fourth floor is. Rosita fits in easily, Nicole wishes she could blend in like her roommate could.

Waverly keeps directing questions towards Nicole which the redhead does her best to answer without a stutter. Nicole sighs with relief when Stephanie gets a mysterious text and she runs out of the room. Chrissy leaves shortly after then Rosita says she has to meet with someone to get a copy of a study guide quick but she’d come back shortly. Nicole looks at Waverly and her cute little braids, and the way her eyes crinkle when she smiles and quickly she forgets she was about to suggest she leave too.

“Nicole, you’ll stay right?” Waverly breaks her from her daze, “I’m waiting for that text from Champ and if I’m alone I’ll probably double text.”

Nicole almost frowns, “Yeah, I’ll stay for a bit.”

Waverly smiles, “I like that flannel, it’s really rugged.” She reaches out and touches the fabric, rubbing it between her fingers, “You think I could borrow it sometime?”

“You want to borrow this?” Nicole cocks her head to the side, “Yeah, if you want.”  
  
Waverly bounces, “I think it's cute, probably looks better on you though.” She drops her hand back down to her side, “Mind if I try it on?” Nicole’s hands grow clammy as she casually nods and slides the red flannel off her shoulders, the blonde hairs on her arms stand up as the cool air caresses them. Waverly smiles as she slides the shirt on over her tank top, bunching up the sleeves on her arms because they're a bit too long. She spins as she looks at herself in her mirror, “How do I look?”  
  
Nicole laughs, “Definitely looks better on you.”

Waverly scrunches up her nose, “The whole flannel wearing, skater thing really suits you, I bet boys just eat it up.” She looks at herself in the mirror again, “I mean, this flannel is pretty hot.”

“I guess,” she shrugs.

Waverly spins around quickly to face Nicole, “Come on, you’re so pretty. Boys must be obsessed with you.”

 _That’s not who I want obsessed with me_ , Nicole grumbles in her head.

Then Waverly’s phone _BINGS_ and she launches towards it, “Ooh! Champ wants me to come over!” she smiles down at the screen.

“Then go,” Nicole says softly.

Waverly looks up dramatically, “Uh, Hello? I’m talking to you silly, and anyways I think he wants to hook up and I’m tired” she rolls her eyes. “He’s just so cute you know? Like freakishly handsome and he asked me out?” she shakes her head as she leans back on her partially lofted bed, “Seems all a little too good to be true.”

Nicole leans beside her, “What? Why?”

She shrugs, “Just, It feels like someone like him wouldn't ever like someone like me.” Waverly looks over at Nicole, “He’s on the wrestling team you know, and everyone loves him.”

“Waverly it’s been like a week,” Nicole laughs.

“Yeah but everyone still loves him and he has all these friends from early practices,” she gets off topic, “I should have joined the cheerleading squad, I would have met so many more people. I just didn't really want boys staring at my ass all day.”

“Waverly, if he likes you it’s because you’re a pretty awesome person.”

The brunette shoves Nicole softly, “Yeah, whatever skater girl.”

“It’s true! Come on, who wouldn’t want to ask you out?” For the first time tonight Nicole isn't thinking about how awkward she’s acting. The corners of her mouth curl up as she looks toward the brunette.

Waverly blushes, “Thanks, Nicole.”

She smiles warmly, “Anytime you need a reminder, I’m right here.”

“You’re a good person, you don't always meet people like you.”

Nicole shrugs, “I’m nothing special, actually, I’m quite the opposite.”

Waverly frowns, “I think you’re pretty cool… you know, if you ask me.”

Nicole smiles down at her lap, she shyly pushes red hair behind her ear but lets it fall in front of her eyes again. The girls spend the rest of their night talking. Waverly shares her dream of becoming a songwriter. She promises she’ll sing something for Nicole sometime. Nicole listens carefully to everything Waverly says, she doesn't have much to add to the conversation but she is eager to hear what the other girl has to say. Waverly speaks and Nicole listens until the redhead checks the time and decides it’s time for her to leave.

 

Nicole can feel the pressure building up behind her skull but she continues to gently bash her head into her desk at the back of her PSYCH 101 class. Her professor, who asked to be called by his first name “Andrew” has given up on asking her questions to keep her engaged. Waverly sits with Champ’s roommate Jake and another girl Nicole has never talked to, she looks unbelievably beautiful though and it only made Nicole more angry sitting in the corner of the classroom. Waverly keeps looking back towards Nicole, hoping to catch the redhead's eye but she never lifts her head from the desk long enough to notice the brunette’s stares.

They haven’t spoken much in the past week, Waverly has been busy with Champ of course and with Stephanie’s roommate drama. Nicole didn’t really expect the two of them to become friends, Nicole was the grungy girl who tended to stay to herself while Waverly was this gorgeous outgoing girl who made friends so easily she wouldn’t need Nicole, she wouldn't even think about the redhead after a few weeks. Nicole tries not to be upset by this, there are other things to groan about, like failing psychology not even two weeks into school. But of course, she worries about what Waverly thinks about her a lot more than shes worried about that psychology grade.

“Hey, skater girl,” Waverly says softly, standing in front of Nicole’s desk.

The redhead pries her forehead from the desktop, “Hi Waverly.”

“Hey, Waverly are you coming to eat?” Jake asks from the doorway.

The brunette doesn’t look at him, she stares down at Nicole a soft look in her eyes, “No, I’ll see you guys later or something.” Jake and the other girl shrug and leave while Waverly fills the empty seat beside Nicole. “What’s up with you?” she asks sweetly. There’s a constant warmth in her tone, it makes Nicole’s brain go all fuzzy.

She groans, “Psychology and I don’t get along very well.”

“You’re failing?”

Nicole nods.

Waverly cocks her head to the side, “Do you need a tutor?”

“Who’s going to tutor me?”

Waverly stares at her blankly for a moment, “Me, Nicole. I’ll tutor you.” Nicole looks up confused. Waverly rolls her eyes, “I have an A and the work really isn’t that hard you just need a little help. I can be that little help.”

“Waverly, you don’t have to…”

“Shut up Nicole,” Waverly stands up, “Come on, let's go eat something.”

“Waverly, I”

“Nicole just accept the offer before I take you down, I may be tiny but I’m strong.” She jumps back and puts her fists out in front of her, “Come on skater girl, give me your best shot.

“Fine!” Nicole rolls out of her chair, “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” Waverly smiles a smile that could light up the whole room. Nicole stays quiet as they walk to the dining hall together. She listens to the brunette’s soft voice and the world seems at peace for a little while. She could stop and relax and just breathe.

After lunch, Nicole walks Waverly back to her dorm hall and waves goodbye at the door but the smaller girl clasps onto Nicole’s arm quickly, “Come in, we can do homework.”

Nicole fumbles over her own feet, “Uh, sure.”

Waverly giggles at Nicole’s expense as she goes to swipe her keycard, unlocking the heavy door. Nicole follows Waverly up the stairs, she can feel her heart beating faster and she can’t tell if it’s from all the steps or the way Waverly was just holding onto her arm. Either way, Nicole feels like she might collapse if she doesn’t sit down on Waverly’s pink bean bag chair soon.

Waverly plays music softly as she focuses on her statistics homework, occasionally groaning as she flips through pages in her textbook. Nicole tries not to look up from her book too often but finds it hard to focus. She knows her crush on Waverly has very much gotten out of hand, and it’s stupid since she hardly knows the other girl and she seems to be bluntly straight with a crush on Champ Hardy, wrestling legend. There's just something about Waverly’s smile that keeps her holding on, the brunette is so sweet and inviting. Nicole has never met someone so kind.

Nicole bites her tongue to compress a groan, _Ugh_ . _Champ Hardy with his stupid little wrestling leotard and that fucking obnoxious grin he does that just drives Waverly up the wall_. Nicole throws her head back and holds the warned copy of 1984 over her head. She sits like that for a moment before she flinches, the book falling off of her face and into her lap. Waverly looks at her funny so she pulls out an old sketchbook to make her look busy. She starts off doodling flowers but quickly finds herself sketching Waverly’s side profile down on the clean sheet of paper. She can always appreciate people’s faces, the way their ears curve or the shape of their eyes. She doesn't just sit back and listen, but she stares too. Being so easily forgotten makes it easier for her to study other people

Waverly looks down at the redhead's paper and gasps, “Is that me?”

Nicole looks up quickly, her gaze meeting the brunette’s, “Uh- yeah.”

The shorter girl pulls the sketchbook off of Nicole’s lap and flips through its pages, “Nicole, these are sick.”

Modestly, Nicole shakes her head, “They're nothing.”

“No, they’re really cool.” She looks back up at Nicole, “Really.”

The previous song ends and the beginning of “Mr. Jones” by Counting Crows starts up. Nicole gasps, “You listen to this song?”

“Yes! Oh, I love it.” Then Waverly starts singing along, “I was down at the New Amsterdam.” She giggles as she changes the next line, “Staring at the red-haired girl,” she points at Nicole as she replaces “yellow” with “red.”

Nicole smiles as she hums along with the other girl.

Waverly throws her books down onto the floor as she stands up, “Come sit on my bed with me.” Nicole follows the brunette onto the pink comforter, she sits with her back against the wall as Waverly curls up near the top of the bed. “I’m tired” she mumbles into her pillow.

“I’ll leave,” Nicole moved towards the edge of the bed

Waverly’s feet block her, “No.” The brunette looks up, “Wake me up in like half an hour okay? Then we can study psychology.

Nicole nodded, her mouth dry.

Waverly fell asleep quickly, her mouth hanging open slightly as her breath deepened. Nicole finished her English reading, too afraid to move, she watches the other girl sleep. She’s just as beautiful asleep as she is awake, maybe even more. Nicole tries not to stare, so she takes in the room around her, all the little things Waverly brought from home to make the dorm room more hers. Nicole’s eye lands on a photo taped to her wall, three girls all dressed in white dresses, the smallest maybe 6 or 7 years old. Nicole could tell the moment she saw her it was Waverly, she still has the same soft smile and moon eyes. The other girls looked close in age, maybe even twins. The photo was beautiful, Nicole stared at it until Waverly started stirring beside her. The redhead held her breath as she continued to look around the room, on the back of the desk chair was a folded flower blanket that looked like it was pulled right out of the ’70s. She pictured the shorter girl wrapped in it when it was cold at night and couldn’t help but smile. Then Nicole noticed a polaroid sitting on the desk, it was a photo of a young Waverly, maybe 10 or 11, and another girl with dark brown hair and bright eyes. The girls looked close, their faces pressed together, Waverly’s eyes crinkled as she smiled. Written in sharpie below the photo is “Wynonna’s 18th”.

It’s been longer than half an hour but Nicole had trouble bringing herself to wake the sleeping girl up. She frowned, “Waverly.” Nothing. “Waverly, wake up,” she nudged her leg softly.

Waverly’s eyes flutter open, “Ew, what time is it?” she asks without opening her eyes completely.

Nicole smiles at her, “6:34.”

Waverly turns over, her legs stretched over Nicole’s, “Hey, want to come out tonight? I know you don’t like parties but it’ll be fun.”

Nicole shrugs.

“It’s at the wrestling house, so we’re guaranteed to get in because of Champ. He really wants me to go but I don’t want to go alone.”

“What about Stephanie and Chrissy?” Nicole asks.

“They’re fighting and honestly Stephanie is kind of a bitch” she rolls her eyes dramatically. “I just want to show my face then we can leave, get pizza and watch The Breakfast Club.”

Nicole gapes, “I love The Breakfast Club.”

“It’s only the best movie ever, Molly Ringwald is so pretty.”

She throws her head back slightly, “Right?”

Waverly pulls her legs to her chest, “So you’ll come out?”

Nicole makes a disgusted face but agrees anyway, “Fine.”

Waverly bounces on her bed, “Yes! Can I do your makeup?”

Nicole doesn’t even get the chance to answer before Waverly asks something else.

“Ooh and let me pick out an outfit for you. No! You pick mine from your closet and I’ll pick yours from mine!”

Before Nicole knows it, Waverly is throwing different outfits at her and demanding she tries them on. Nicole hesitates but again caves into Waverly, she strips the flannel off her shoulders, then the black tee-shirt off over her head. She quickly pulls the red shirt over her head before Waverly could turn and see Nicole shirtless. The top was tight fitted and crossed at the bottom, exposing Nicole’s midriff. She felt very exposed, her arms crossed over her stomach as Waverly examined her.

“Yes, but it needs something.” Waverly looks back into her closet, pushing hangers around until she stops and pulls out a sheer blue and purple jacket covered in a floral print. She shoves it towards Nicole, “Here put this on.” Nicole slides it on, it must be oversized for Waverly because fits her perfectly. The smell of the brunette wafts into Nicole’s face, Waverly smiles “Pretty.”

Nicole steps backward to look in the mirror. Fine, she didn’t look horrible, but she did feel weird. “Okay, fine I like it.”

Waverly jumps up and down, “Yes! You have high waisted shorts, right? That’ll make it perfect.”

Nicole nods. “Now it’s your turn,” she smirks.

Waverly purrs, “What are gonna do to me skater girl?”

The redhead laughs, “Freak.”

Waverly bends down while shimmying her shoulders, “Not yet.”

Nicole rolls her eyes before turning her back to the brunette and opening the door. Waverly giggles wildly to herself as she follows the taller girl out of her room. She’s smiling the whole way to Nicole’s room; the redhead looks at her sideways. “What’s wrong with your face?” she asks.

Waverly keeps on smiling, “I’ve never seen your room.

“It’s nothing special,” Nicole frowns

“I want to see your side and how you decorated. Oh my god! Do you have photos?” Waverly starts smiling harder, “Ooh I’m so excited.” Nicole stares at her, trying to keep from smiling but it's near impossible. She opens her dorm door and lets it swing open. Waverly jumps through the doorway, her eyes searching the room. She finds a photo of Nicole and her family hanging on the wall above her desk. “Oh my god? You have a little sister?”

Nicole’s cheeks flush, “She’s seven.”

Waverly spins around quickly, “She looks just like you, what’s her name?”

“Katherine, but I call her Kitty.”

Waverly yelps, “That’s so precious, she must miss you.”

Nicole looks down, “She calls me all the time. She has my number written down in a little notebook under her bed next to her hidden house phone. She has one of those old-fashioned ones with the wire but its pink, my sister bought it for her.”

Waverly looks back at the photo, Nicole’s mother stands on the right side, her hair the same bright red as Nicole’s and Katherine’s. She’s pretty, obviously where Nicole gets her good looks from. Next to her mother stood a taller girl, her hair is dark brown like the man standing beside her. Waverly inferred that was the other sister and their father. She too looked a lot like Nicole beside her dark curly hair. Nicole smiled from the left side of the photo, Katherine standing in front of her dressed in old-fashioned overalls, a German Shepherd sitting proudly next to her. It looked like the perfect family, a happy family. Waverly looks back at Nicole, “Tell me about your family.”

Nicole looks at the photo, “My sister Gabbie is the oldest, she’s 21 now. Then there’s Jacob but he doesn’t talk to me much, kind of a dick or whatever. Then there’s me and Katherine is the baby, she just started first grade.” Nicole smiles, “I miss her the most.” Waverly stares at Nicole, a soft smile on her lips. “My mom’s name is Mallory and my dad is Matthew, he’s a cop in the city. My mom works at a dentist” she laughs, “Not that you care.”

Waverly shakes her head, “No, keep going.”

“That’s our dog Harley,” she points at the German Shepherd.

“He’s so cute, I’ve always wanted a dog.”

Nicole smiles at Waverly, “Hey, what about your family?”

Waverly shrugs, “That’s a long story.”

Nicole nods, changing the subject, “So your outfit...”

Waverly giggles, “Can’t wait.”

Nicole throws her closet doors open, “Okay, I was thinking this.” She holds up a plain black crop top and looks down at Waverly’s denim shorts. “The shorts you have on now are good,” she smirks. “Ready for the best part?” Waverly nods, “Here.” Nicole pulls out her red flannel, the one from the other night and hands it to Waverly.

“Yes!” she laughs, “I was hoping you’d let me wear the flannel.”

“I knew it would make you happy.”

Waverly closes the dorm door with her foot and immediately pulls her shirt off over her head. She’s thin, almost too thin, she may just be the most petite girl Nicole has ever seen up close. Waverly stands across from the redhead in nothing but a white lace bra and her iconic denim shorts she seems to own five pairs of. “Nicole can I curl your hair?” she asks as she pulls the crop-top on over her head.

“If it’ll make you happy.”

Waverly pulls her arms through the flannels sleeves, adjusting them as she walks towards Nicole. “I love your hair, I think it’s the prettiest,” she reaches out and touches the knotted red locks. Nicole’s heart beats faster, she can hear it pounding in her ears. “I wish I was as pretty as you,” Waverly says softly.

“Waves, you are gorgeous. I mean like, absolutely breathtaking.”

Waverly smiles, “Waves?”

Nicole pulls her eyes from the brunette’s, “Uh, sorry.”

“No! No, I like it a lot.”

Nicole looks back at Waverly, her heart melting in her chest. The shorter girl takes her breath away, and the sight of Waverly dressed in her clothes… she could just drop dead right in the middle of her dorm room. She looks at Waverly and the world just stops, sure she’s had crushes before but never one that felt so intense. It’s like Waverly is the only girl in the world that matters and Nicole can’t shake the feeling. She knows the crush is a lot, that Waverly is straight. For all she knows Waverly could be homophobic and never talk to her again once she finds Nicole’s lucky little hidden pride pin.

They stare at each other until Waverly talks, “Thanks Nicole, I know we just met but you’re really cool.” Nicole doesn’t say anything, mostly because she doesn’t know what to say without sounding like an idiot. She smiles softly, the sight of Waverly beaming in front of her making her palms sweaty. Waverly jumps, “I’m curling your hair.”

Nicole puts her hands up in surrender, “Fine, okay.” She smirks, “But I’m choosing the music.”

Waverly forces Nicole down into her desk chair, curling wand heated and ready in her other hand. “I’m so excited, your hair is so pretty,” she says as she sections off the redhead’s hair. Nicole’s playlist is playing through Waverly’s speakers, the brunette knows most of the songs, giggling at ones she’s never heard. Nicole occasionally reaches for her phone to skip a song, causing Waverly to yell about almost burning her ear. The beginning of “Jessie’s Girl” picks up and Waverly yelps, “Oh Nicole, I love this song!” She starts dancing, the hot wand still in her hand. Nicole turns to watch, a smile she didn’t know she has sat smugly on her face. She really is beautiful when she dances.

“Please don’t burn yourself, my hair is only half done and I can’t drive you to the emergency room on my skateboard” Nicole’s eyebrows pull together.

Waverly smirks, “You have a good taste in music, I have to say…”

Nicole frowns playfully, “What did you expect?”

The shorter girl shrugged, “Uh, I dunno. Maybe some screamo or something.”

“Oh, that was so fourteen year old Nicole,” the redhead laughs.

“Of course, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s okay, I forgive you.”

“Can I finish your hair now or…”

Nicole scrunches up her face and turns back in her chair, “Take it away boss.”

By the time Waverly finishes Nicole’s hair and then curls her own, it is long past the time they were supposed to be at the party. Champ had been blowing up the brunette’s phone for the past hour and with each sound that leaks from Waverly’s back pocket, Nicole grows to despise the wrestler more and more. He makes her skin crawl, there’s just something about him that’s off, or maybe it’s just her who is off… and jealous that Waverly likes him and not her. They walk there together, Waverly constantly walking backward so she could look at Nicole. They take a shortcut through the woods, Nicole pays special attention to where she’s walking to avoid tripping over a branch and breaking her neck.

“This flannel smells like you,” Waverly’s says, her back to Nicole.

“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

Waverly keeps forward, “Good. I like it.” Nicole flushes red, the color doesn’t fade until they’re standing outside of the “wrestling house”. Nicole makes a disgusted face as the smell of booze and weed fills her nostrils. Waverly makes a similar face but shakes it off quickly as she drags Nicole deep into the crowd, her small hand wrapped around the taller girl’s wrist. They dance for a bit, mostly just Waverly trying to get Nicole to move.

“Please just dance a little!” she yells over the music.

“I suck at dancing.”

“No! You did fine last time, it was cute!” Waverly moves closer to Nicole, her body almost pressed against the redhead's. “Let loose just a little bit, I won’t judge you for your shitty dance moves.”

“Hey! You said I did fine last time.”

“Dance!” Waverly presses against Nicole for a moment, the redhead’s entire body tenses up as the brunette went back to dancing.

Nicole caved in again, something Waverly seemed to make her do so easily. She let the music flow through her body as they danced in the dark, bright neon lights illuminating their faces as they move. Nicole is laughing, and actually having a good time, that is until she catches eye of the wrestler looking around for Waverly.

Finally, Champ notices the brunette and pushes through the crowd.

He yells over the music, “Hey! Waverly, you made it.”

Waverly is the queen of dismissing people in a way you don’t even know you’re getting silenced. She ignores Champ, her soft hand on Nicole’s shoulder as she pulls her lips to the redhead’s ear. She whispers, “We’re going to leave now.” She then acknowledges Champ, “Great party but Nicole and I are going to head out.”

“Why don’t you stay? We can go upstairs into one of the bedrooms and-”

Waverly shakes her head, “I’m here with a friend Champ.”

“She can wait down here,” he looks Nicole up and down before looking back at the brunette. 

“No, I’m leaving. Text me earlier next time before I have other plans.”

Champ frowns but doesn’t say anything. Waverly pulls Nicole through the crowd again, the late summer night filling their lungs once they’re out the front door. The air feels amazing on her skin, sticky with sweat from the overcrowded room. Waverly laughs a deep belly laugh that has Nicole thanking god she agreed to come out tonight. “What a chump.”

Nicole laughs, “Did you see the look on his face?”

Waverly’s laugh fades, “Yeah.”

They walk back towards the dorm, Waverly brushing up against Nicole accidentally every so often. Nicole watches her, the way her hair bounces as she walks, the soft smile she gets when she looks at Nicole, all of it drove Nicole crazy. She frowns, “You know he’s only trying to fuck you.”

Waverly shrugs, “I know.”

Nicole stops, “And you’re just going to let him?”

Waverly turns, her hair flying behind her, “Why not? Unless you’re suggesting something else.”

Nicole shakes her head, her mouth hanging open.

“Okay.”

She mumbles, “I’m sorry.”

Waverly softens, “No, It’s fine. You’re looking out for me and I appreciate that.”

The redhead forces a smile.

“He’s cute you know, I don’t know if I’ll actually do anything with him but it’s flattering that he likes me… or,” she cocks her head, “wants to fuck me?”

Nicole’s eyebrows pull together.

“It sounds gross but, I don’t know,” Waverly shrugs. “It’s nice to be noticed.”

“Yeah, I get that.”

“Hey! We’ll find you someone and then we can go on double dates once I lasso Hardy in,” Waverly’s smile is brighter than the street lamp they’re standing under. Nicole smiles, giving the other girl a slight nod so they could change the subject. Maybe Champ won’t be so bad, she hopes.

Back at the dorm, Waverly jumps onto her bed, “So The Breakfast Club?”

Nicole nods.

“Come sit with me.”

Nicole climbs up onto Waverly’s perfectly made bed and sits next to Waverly, carefully making sure not to sit too close.

Waverly frowns, “You’re being quiet.”

“Sorry.”

“No. Why aren’t you talking?”

Waverly nudges Nicole until she spills, “You want to have sex with Champ?”  
  
“You’re still thinking about that?” the brunette frowns.

“You asked.”

She pouts, her bottom lip sticking out, “He’s hot… so why not?”

Nicole cringes, “No reason.”

“Do you think I shouldn’t?” Waverly turns toward the taller girl.

Nicole shrugs.

“Stop deflecting. Whenever I bring up Champ you get all weird so spill skater girl. What’s on your mind?”

 _You._

“Nothing, really.”

Waverly sits on her legs, “Nicole.”

“I don’t want him to use you or anything...”

Waverly sits quietly for what must be a minute, “Okay. I won’t sleep with him.”

“What?”

“You’re right.” Waverly nudges Nicole softly, “He doesn’t deserve this ass yet,” she winks.

Nicole laughs, “Yeah.”

Waverly perks up, “Okay, so the movie!”

The Breakfast Club is playing on Waverly’s tiny flat screen, but Nicole can’t stop looking at the brunette. She’s learned to appreciate beauty over the years and beauty is Waverly Earp. She decided if she couldn’t have Waverly, then whoever did would treat her the way she should be treated. Of everything Nicole picked up about Waverly, the most upsetting to her was the brunette’s insecurities about things that were more than perfect. Nicole just wishes she could make Waverly see how amazing she is, and how much Nicole would kill to be in Champ’s position.

Waverly giggles at every joke, and gasps at each dramatic moment like she’s never seen the movie before. Nicole’s smile deepens with every one of Waverly reactions. “This movie is the only movie I care about,” Waverly looks over at the redhead. She sits up straight, “Oh! And Charlotte’s web. That’s a good movie.”

“No, The Lion King is a good movie.”

Waverly shakes her head, “Uh? A sad movie.”

“Uh? Not just a sad movie.” Nicole smirks, “Oh, I just can’t wait to be king…”

Waverly punches her in the arm, “That movie makes me cry every time.”

“Oh, but it’s such a good movie” Nicole’s nose crinkles as she smiles.

Waverly leans against the wall, “Sing some more. Actually, just reenact the entire movie.”

Nicole kneels, her hands up in the air as she attempts to sing the first lines of Circle Of Life. Waverly falls back giggling, she sings along until Nicole gives up, laughing until her ribs begin to sting.

“Your red hair looks like a mane when you do this,” Waverly reaches out and fluffs up Nicole’s curled hair. “Now roar.”

“That’s kinky.”

Waverly shoves Nicole gently, the corners of her eyes crinkling from her smile. “You’re a dork.”

“Thanks.”

“Glad you’ve learned to accept yourself,” Waverly sits, a coy look on her face.

Nicole looks behind the other girl dreamily, “It’s not as easy as you think.”

Waverly pouts, “Yeah.” She shakes her head, “It’s getting late, you’re welcome to stay here if you want.”

Nicole looks around the room, her heart racing faster.

Waverly notices the redhead’s reaction and quickly adds, “I have a blow-up mattress under my bed.”

Nicole scratches at the back of her neck, “It’s okay, I’ll just go back to my room. Rosita is probably wondering why I’ve been gone so long anyway.”

Waverly scoffs, “Is Rosita your mom?”

Nicole blows air through her nose, “Maybe.” She smiles down at her hands, “So, tomorrow want to study for that psychology test?”

Waverly nods, “Yeah, it’ll be fun.”

“Fun?”

The brunette pushes her hair behind her ear, “Yes skater girl, it’ll be fun.”

“Whatever you say…” Nicole jumps off of the bed. “See you.”

Waverly watches Nicole open the door, “Yeah, see you.”

 

“Nicole!” Rosita stands beside the sleeping redhead. “Get up, your phone has been ringing off the hook for half an hour.”

Nicole turns over, “What time is it?”

Rosita rolls her eyes “12.”

Nicole groans as she reaches for her phone, 12 missed calls and 16 unread messages. “Jesus,” she mumbles under her breath. Rosita goes back to her desk while Nicole looks through her phone. The first text is from her mother, it reads “Hi sweetie, what are you doing today?” Nicole frowns, _fuck._ 9 other messages from her mother, all explaining how she’s on her way to campus to visit. Nicole checks the other messages, three from Gabbie.

 

[TEXTS]

Gabbie

10:02 AM- Nicole. Get up.

10:36 AM- I tried to warn you

10:37 AM- I am so sorry

 

Nicole throws her head back and groans again, loud enough to make Rosita turn and give her a look. The last of the unread messages are from Waverly. _Fuck, Waverly_.

 

[TEXTS]

Waverly

10:39 AM- good morninggg

11:12 AM- helloo sleepy head?

11:50 AM- text me when you wake up skater girl.

 

Nicole flops out of bed, her phone pressed to the side of her face.

Her mother’s voice is warm on the other side of the line, “Sweetie did you just wake up?” she asks.

“Mom. You have to ask before you just show up at my school!”

“You were sleeping,”

“Yes, mom I was sleeping” Nicole rubs at her temple.

“We’re down the street, meet us outside.”

“Mom!” Nicole screeches but her mother already hung up.

Rosita turns, a smug look on her face, “Yeah, have fun today.”

Nicole frowns.

Her parents arrive faster than she expected them to, she waited outside for less than a minute before the blue sedan pulled up, “Nicky!” her mother wails.

“Hi Mom,” Nicole manages to get out before her mother’s arms are wrapped around her neck.

Gabbie climbs out of the car, her father following behind her. “Hi,” Nicole looks at them, Gabbie laughs at her little sister’s expense. It wasn’t that Nicole is unhappy to see her family, it’s just that she really wasn’t prepared for their visit today. There is one thing she doesn’t mind though. Gabbie opens the back door and Katherine pours out, running into Nicole’s arms.

She lifts Katherine up in a hug, her little sister’s arms wrapped around the back of her neck. The little redhead leans back with a gapped tooth smile, “How’s college?”

Nicole softens, “Boring without you.”

Katherine presses her tongue against the gap in her teeth, “Thought so.”

Gabbie step forward, “Katherine joined the flag football team.”

Nicole looks at her baby sister, “You what!”

Katherine giggles, “It’s fun.”

“Bet it is,” Nicole puts Katherine down. She looks up at her mother, “I wish you told me you were coming before you were here.”

Mallory Haught grabs her daughter’s cheeks gently, “I missed your beautiful face, and Kat wanted to see you.”

“I had plans for today with a friend,” she pulls away from her mother’s grip. Behind her, Gabbie stands with a smirk on her face, wiggling her eyebrows. Nicole ignores her, “She’s tutoring me.”

Gabbie scoffs quietly to herself.

“Well call her! I’d love to meet your friend,” her mother winks.

“Mom, she’s my friend.”

“That’s what I said didn’t I?”

Nicole throws her head back as she digs her phone out of her pocket. Waverly picks up quickly, “You did not just wake up Nicole it’s like 1 pm!”

Nicole moves away from her family, “My parents ambushed me.”

“Oh my god? Your parents are here?”

Nicole nods to herself, “Yeah and they,"

Waverly cuts her off, “Can I come meet them?”

“Uh, yeah. We’re outside Hawkins Hall.”

Gabbie comes up behind her, her eyebrows pulled together. She whispers, “You sound like an idiot.” Nicole scowls.

Waverly giggles into the phone, “Okay! Be down in a second.”

Nicole hangs up and looks at her sister, “What?”

“Do you like her?” Gabbie smiles.

“Not every girl I talk to I have a crush on.”

“Are you sure about that because…”

Nicole grumbles, “Okay! Yes.”

“Knew it… dork.”

“Shut up.”

“Nicole, is your friend coming?” their mother asks.

“Yeah, she’ll be down in a second.”

Katherine jumps up and down, “Nicky will you buy me a sweatshirt?”

Nicole looks at her mother, showing off her teeth, Mallory nods. “Sure, kid I’ll buy you a sweatshirt.”

Nicole hears Waverly before she sees her, “Hi! I’m Waverly.” The redhead could just hear the extra exclamation points in her voice. “It’s so nice to meet you,” she smiles. Nicole turns and faces the brunette, she has to stop and catch her breath at the sight of the shorter girl wearing her flannel.

“Hey Waverly,” Nicole looked towards Gabbie. “This is…”

Waverly cuts her off again, “Gabbie! Aw, you’re so pretty, you look like Nicole.” Gabbie sends Nicole a side-eyed wink as Waverly’s attention moves on to Katherine. She kneels down to the littlest Haught’s height, “Hi cutie.”

Katherine’s face flushes red, “Hi.”

“You must be Katherine.”

The little redhead nods.

“It’s nice to meet you. Katherine is a really pretty name.”

She smiles, “I like your eye color.”

Waverly looks up and smiles at Nicole, the redhead blushes and looks away. Gabbie rolls her eyes as Waverly stands up to talk to her sister. She giggles, “Nicole she’s just as cute as you described her.”

A few things flash through Nicole’s mind before she looks over at her mother, “There isn’t much to do here mom.”

Waverly moves closer to Nicole, there arms just about touching. Mallory smiles, “We didn’t completely ambush you Nicky, your father and I wanted to run to Purgatory to see some friends. They have a daughter around Kats age.”

Waverly lights up, “Oh! I’m from purgatory.”

“It’s such a cute town, Matthew grew up there” Nicole’s mother looks over at her husband.

“Maybe he knew my parents,” Waverly smiles but it fades quickly. Nicole frowns as she looks at her. “Probably not.”

Nicole’s father opens his mouth but Nicole cuts him off quickly, “So you guys are leaving?”

Mallory shakes her head, “I thought we could go out to lunch before we left.”

Gabbie jumps in, “Mom why don’t you and Dad go to Purgatory and Kat and I will stay here with Nicole for a bit.”

“Nicky is that okay with you?” her mother looks at her.

Nicole shrugs, “Why not?”

Katherine jumps up and wraps her arms around Nicole and Waverly, “Can she stay?”

Nicole awkwardly looks at the brunette, “Waverly would probably rather be doing something else...”

Waverly shakes her head, “No, I’d love to hang out for a while. Really.”

Katherine giggles as she steps back. Gabbie winks again as she waves goodbye to her parents, “Okay Nic, I’ll see you later!” says their father as he ducks into the driver side of their minivan.

Mallory blows a kiss as the car pulls away, leaving the girls to stare at each other. Katherine makes it her mission to befriend Waverly while Gabbie goes to whisper in Nicole’s ear. “She’s cute.”

Nicole gives her a wicked grin.

“You’re so sure she doesn’t like you?” her sister asks softly.

Nicole shrugs, “She sorta has a boyfriend.”

“That shouldn’t stop you!”

Nicole frowns, “Or it should.”

“You said sorta…”

She whispers, “Well she’s straight.”

Waverly speaks up, “Hey Nicole, why don’t I take Katherine to my room for a little, she wants me to braid her hair… so you and Gabbie can talk.”

Nicole looks between Waverly and her sister, “You don’t have to…”

“Jeez Nicole you need to learn to just accept a kind gesture,” Waverly nudges her softly. “It’s no problem. I love kids, and your sister is pretty awesome, isn’t she?”

Katherine nods enthusiastically with her gapped tooth smile.

“Thanks, Waves.”

The brunette smiles at the nickname, “Sure thing skater girl.”

The moment Waverly starts to walk away, her hand in Katherine’s, Gabbie stares at her sister through her eyelashes. “Seriously?”

“Gabbie just drop it okay?”

“Nicole you can’t just hide all the time, embrace who you are!”

Nicole looks down at her dirty converse, “She likes Champ Hardy. She’s into the tough, sporty type.”

Gabbie pulls her eyebrows together, “You are the sporty type, Nicole Haught do I need to dig all those stupid basketball trophies out?”

“Not anymore.”

“Says you.”

Nicole frowns at her sister, “I don’t play anymore.”

“Fine.”

She stares up at Waverly’s window, “She’s just,” Nicole grumbles, “It’s stupid.”

“Well yeah, kinda.”

Nicole sends her sister another dirty look.

“If you’re not going to even try then yeah, it’s pretty stupid.”

“Thanks.”

“Your words not mine… skater girl.”

“Don’t.”

Gabbie shoves Nicole’s shoulder, “Yeah whatever.”

Nicole hides her giggle as she shoves her older sister back, “I missed you.”

“Yeah,” Gabbie looks out into the quad. “I’ve missed you too.”

Nicole’s mouth pulls into a straight line, “I need to tell her.”

“I mean, yeah.”

“She doesn’t know that… I like girls,” Nicole looks at her sister. “What if she freaks out?”

Gabbie shakes her head, “I doubt that, she’s too sweet.”

“That doesn’t mean anything.” Nicole leans against the wall, “Gabbie I’m so afraid.”

“You’re allowed to be afraid and you don’t have to tell her now… but you’ll have to tell her eventually.”

Nicole pushes off the wall with an attempt to gear the subject, “Has Jacob said anything about me?”

Gabbie frowns slightly, “He’s an asshole Nicole, what he says doesn’t mean anything.”

“So, he has said something.”

“Mom doesn’t let him in the house anymore, if he wants to see Matthew he has to see him somewhere else, she doesn’t want Katherine to hear what he says.”

Nicole’s eyes gloss over, “Good.”

“Nicole really, he’s not worth it and you know that.”

“Yeah but he’s still my brother.”

Gabbie nods.

They’re silent until Nicole rolls her shoulders, “We better go save Waverly.”

“Oh, but it’s so quiet without Katherine…” Gabbie throws her head back as Nicole begins to move towards Waverly’s dorm.

When they knock on the shorter brunette’s door, it swings open to a scene of Katherine holding fistfuls of Waverly’s hair as the other girl sits in her desk chair. “Oh god,” Nicole laughs.

Gabbie looks in, “Katherine let the poor girl go.”

Katherine turns her head towards her sisters, “What?”

Waverly peers over her shoulder at them, “She wanted to braid my hair.”

Nicole moves towards the two of them, “Yeah… she did something to it.”

Katherine giggles and Nicole attempts to un-knot Waverly’s hair. She holds in her own giggles as Waverly keeps leaning her head back to get a look at Nicole’s perplexed face. They un-tie Waverly’s hair than head to lunch… or breakfast for Nicole. Waverly quickly feels comfortable with the Haught sisters, they spend the majority of the day together lying on Waverly’s floor. Gabbie tells stories of when Nicole was little and Katherine jumps on Waverly’s previously made bed.

Gabbie laughs, “Nicole was such a demon growing up.”

“Was not!”

The older girl rolls her eyes, “She would ruin all the fun for Jacob and me, whenever we snuck out or got drunk...”

“Well you never took me anywhere, I was always stuck at home with mom.”

“You were annoying.”

Nicole scoffs, “Funny, cause’ you're annoying now.”

“Sick burn.”

The girls all laugh, including Waverly who begins to sit up. “So you guys are really close?” she asks softly.

Nicole sits up too, “Yeah, I guess.”

“She guesses?” Gabbie looks at Nicole sideways, “We do everything together, but now she’s here and I’m all by myself.”

Nicole faux frowns, “Oh. That must be so hard for you.”

“It totally is, Katherine doesn't know how to make my sandwiches the right way.”

The little girl cuts in, “She eats them all weird.

After a few hours, Nicole’s parents come back and picks up the girls. They exchange their goodbyes and quickly Nicole finds herself lying on Waverly’s floor once again. They lay in silence, their fingers almost touching. Waverly stares up at the ceiling as she repeats the same words over and over again in her head. Nicole lays beside her, her head turned just enough so she could see the other girls face. Waverly frowns, “Nicole?”

Nicole turns her head completely, “Yeah?”

“I like your family a lot. I mean, you have the perfect family.”

Nicole scoffs softly, “Not really.”

Waverly sits up and looks at her, “Still, I wish I had a family like yours.”

Nicole picks up on the shorter girl’s tone, “Waves, you know you can tell me anything right? No judgment.”

They stare at each other until Waverly nods, “Yeah silly, I know that.”

“Okay good.”

Waverly’s eyes fall, “I miss my sister.”

Nicole looks over at the photo on her desk, “Wynonna?”

The brunette's eyes shoot up, “Yeah.” Waverly tugs at the sleeve of the red flannel falling off her shoulders, “I haven’t seen her in a few years.”

“Why?”

“She left purgatory when she turned eighteen.”

Nicole tucks her hair behind her ear, “Oh.”

“Some things happened when we were younger, made It hard for her to stay,” Waverly shrugs. “Just sucks.”

“What’s she like?”

Waverly smiles, “She reminds me a lot of Gabbie, but her sense of humor could be a little dirtier sometimes.” She pauses, “Nicole, can I tell you something without you feeling bad for me?”

Nicole nods, “Yeah, if you don’t want me to be.”

Waverly looks down at her hands, “When I was younger my mom left me and my two older sisters with our father.” Nicole thinks back to the photo hanging on the wall with the three girls in white dresses. “He was kind of a drunk so I don’t blame her for leaving… I just wish she took us with her instead.” She sighs. “When I was around six, Wynonna and him got into this huge fight over him favoring our other sister, so she ran away. And he did, he favored my other sister.  Willa was her name. Anyways, Willa usually watched me if he had to go out and do something, but this night they left me sleeping in my bed while they took the truck out to search for Wynonna. It was around three AM when Wynonna came home and woke me up. I didn’t know it at the time but a drunk driver blew through a red light, causing a big delivery truck to stop short, forcing my father and Willa to drive off the road. The car flipped. He died immediately, Willa died later at the hospital. Wynonna blamed herself for a long time, I was so young I hardly remember them, you know? But she still does.”

“Waverly I”

“You said you wouldn’t be sorry” the brunette peers at Nicole. Waverly pulls the flannel onto her shoulders and pulls it tighter around her, “I’ve lived with my aunt and uncle ever since. But really Nicole, don’t freak out or something.”

She stays silent.

“You told me about your family so I told you about mine” Waverly gives Nicole a soft smile.

Nicole stares at her, “My family isn’t perfect either.”

“How?”

Nicole blinks, “Gabbie is my half-sister, she’s my mom’s first kid. Her first husband died when Gabbie was just a baby, then she met my dad. Jacob isn’t my full sibling either, he’s my father’s first kid. His mom is kind of crazy but that’s who he lives with now. They’re pretty similar. He doesn’t like Gabbie and he hates me, he kind of always have but then when-” Nicole pauses. “He really hates me now. The only one he doesn’t hate is Katherine but my mom doesn’t let him around her much. All is good now that he lives somewhere else and my parents are married and whatever but,” Nicole shrugs, not sure what she was going to say.

“Gabbie is your half-sister? She looks so much like you.”

“Yeah, we get it from our mom.”

Waverly nods, “I’m sorry that Jacob is a dick.”

Nicole frowns, “So you’re allowed to be sorry for me but I can’t be sorry for you?”

“Yes,” Waverly grins.

“Whatever weirdo.”

Waverly mouth falls open as she smiles, “Weirdo?”

“Oh, sorry did I say weirdo? I meant freak” Nicole smirks.

Waverly sticks out her bottom lip in a pout, “You’re the freak.”

The redhead smiles, “Sure, we can be freaks together.”

Waverly rolls her eyes.

Nicole stares at the other girl, taking in the way her eyes seemed to sparkle even in the dull light. Nicole smirks again, “My flannel?”

Waverly’s face turns red, “Oh! I’m sorry I just thought we were going to study today and”

Nicole cuts her off, “No Waves it’s okay. It looks better on you.”

“No, it does not.”

“Keep it,” Nicole nods.

“No! It’s yours.”

“Fine. Then you can borrow it.”

Waverly snuggles into the red flannel, “You know Nicole, you look prettier when you don’t hide behind your hair or stare at the floor.” Nicole locks eyes with Waverly then quickly pulls away. “I mean, when you get more comfortable, I’m just trying to say that your smile is a lot brighter now.”

Nicole looks back at Waverly’s soft eyes, her heart beating hard in her ears. They move closer to each other, just like they’ve been gravitating towards each other since the night at the party. Waverly gave a soft giggle as Nicole found herself just barely touching the brunette’s thigh. But Waverly pulled away, her body stretching over Nicole’s legs to reach her phone. She looks at Nicole nervously, “Do you think I should try to text Wynonna?”

Nicole forces a smile, “Yeah, you should.”

“I don’t even know if it’s her number anymore… yeah, I’m not going to,” she shakes her head.

Nicole grabs her arm gently, “It doesn’t hurt to try.”

“Who knows where she is...” Waverly shakes her head.

“Call her.”

“It’s late.”

Nicole frowns, “You just said you don’t know where she is.”

Waverly pouts, “Fine.” She stares down at her phone until she presses dial, Nicole watches as the phone rings, and rings, and rings. When the voicemail comes up Nicole frowns, expecting Waverly to be upset but the brunette jumps up with a smile on her face.

Nicole asks, “What?”

“She didn’t answer but it’s her number! Nicole, she didn’t change her number!” She starts laughing. Waverly pulls Nicole to her feet and wraps her arms around the redhead’s neck. Nicole accepts the embrace with her eyebrows pulled together, she’s still a bit confused. Waverly leans back, her arms still around the taller girl’s neck.

Suddenly Nicole can’t catch her breath as Waverly smiles at her, their faces so close, it wouldn't take much effort to press their lips together. That’s all that goes through Nicole’s head as the brunette’s smile continues to radiate, she lets go and steps back. Nicole’s phone goes off behind her, she grumbles under her breath as she goes to look.

Her heart stops.

It might have well done a backflip out of her chest and onto the floor.  


[TEXTS]

Maria

1:04 AM- Yeah

1:05 AM- Bye Nicole.

 

11:07 PM- Hey Nicky, I miss you. I’m going to

                be home this week, maybe we can

                meet up? I just want to see you.

 

Waverly notices the look on her face, “Who is it?”

Nicole stares at the text a bit longer before looking up at Waverly, “My ex.” She shakes her head, “My sort of ex.”

“What does he want?” Waverly narrows her eyes.

Nicole blinks, “ _They_ want to see me.”

“Do you want to see them?”

She stares at Waverly, her brain getting pulled in two different directions. Waverly stays staring at her with an encouraging smile, Nicole shrugs, turning her phone off.

Waverly nudges Nicole softly, “Hey, if you don’t want to see them just tell them.”

Nicole shakes her head, “It’s more complicated than that.”

“Do you miss them?” Waverly asks softly, her hand gently grasping the redheads.

Nicole looks down at Waverly’s hand and sighs. “I don’t really know.”

It started near the end of her Junior year. Nicole sat beside Maria in English, they never talked much besides the one time when Nicole forgot a pencil or when she needed a clean sheet of paper. It was inevitable though that one day they would talk more than those few words. It was time for the final project and they were paired together. Like with other girls at her school, Nicole always knew how beautiful Maria was. It was no surprise that the curly haired girl didn’t say much to her. Nicole had seen her in the locker room after meets occasionally, she had to rip her eyes from Maria’s exposed skin while she changed so the other girl wouldn't catch Nicole staring. Or anyone really. Maria was on the soccer team, and she was pretty damn good. Nicole envied her in a way, even though the redhead played basketball.

She had this smile that made Nicole’s stomach flip until she felt like she was going to throw up. They spent most days after school together, then the project was finished and they continued to kick a soccer ball back and forth in Nicole’s backyard. One day during summer break, while lying in the grass and staring up at the stars, Maria kissed her. Before this, Nicole knew she found girls attractive but she never saw herself with one, not really.

They kept at it all summer, stealing kisses in the moonlight or hiding out in Maria’s old treehouse. But Nicole was too afraid to introduce Maria to her family as her girlfriend or to take her out on dates in public. Yet she did introduce Maria to her parents and she did take her out ice skating or for ice cream, but as friends. Even if they escaped to the skating rinks elevator to be alone or when they took that ice cream onto the trail into the woods.

When school started again they fell apart a bit, each seeing their other friends and getting pulled back into their sports teams. They still talked, and they still went on dates sometimes but Nicole was faced with asking the curly haired girl out or watching her slip through her fingers. And Nicole watched her fall… hard, for one of the football players. Maria and his relationship didn’t last long but each moment still ached the redhead deep to her core. She used to touch her like that, _kiss_ her like that. She didn’t love Maria or ever loved her, she didn’t even exactly miss her. She more missed the way Maria would hold her late at night. The sweet words mumbled into the dark.

Nicole would think about those things late at night, but eventually, Maria faded and the thoughts just became ideas of someone. That someone quickly became Waverly the moment the brunette smiled in Nicole’s direction. But now that Maria is asking to see her, Nicole can’t tell if maybe she does miss the soccer player.

Waverly tried to coax Nicole with a smile, “It’s late. Think about it tomorrow.”

Nicole is nothing but thankful for Waverly. “Yeah I will. Thanks, Waves.”

The brunette perks up, “I really do love it when you call me that.”

“I really do love it when you smile like that,” Nicole slips, she looks down again as Waverly’s smile beams.

Waverly ducks her head so she can see Nicole’s eyes, “Stop hiding.”

“I-”

Waverly cuts her off, “You always say something but pull away so quickly. Nicole say what you want to say, be who you are. You don’t have to hide anything from me.”

Nicole meets Waverly’s gaze, if she wasn’t so scared she would have kissed her right then. Instead, Nicole gives a weak smile, “You really are the best, you know that?”

Waverly giggles, “Of course I know that.” She winks at Nicole, which only makes the redhead blush more. Waverly looks over at her alarm clock, “Holy shit its almost 12.” Nicole follows the brunets gaze. Waverly looks back at the other girl, she shows off her teeth, “Sleepover?”

Nicole laughs at her but agrees. They set up the blow up mattress and Waverly lets Nicole use that flower blanket she loves so much. They stay up late talking up at the ceiling like it’s their first slumber party in elementary school. This warms Nicole’s heart though, she misses things like this. It’s been so long since she’s had a real friend. Once they finally do drift off to sleep its almost 2 AM and Waverly already started complaining about being tired the next day. All is good in the world.

Nicole stirs at the sound of Waverly’s voice. The brunette jumps down onto the air mattress, straddling the redhead. Her phone is pressed to her head, “Yeah, I’d like that a lot.” Waverly flashes crazy eyes as Nicole rubs the sleep from her eyes, “Okay! Alright!”

Nicole mouths, “Who?”

Waverly waves to dismiss her, Nicole lays her head back down, Waverly still sitting on her torso. “Talk to you later.” She hangs up and holds the phone to her chest excitedly.

“Who!” Nicole laughs.

She smiles so hard you can see it in her eyes, “Wynonna called me back.”

Nicole attempts to sit up but Waverly is still straddling her, which she still hasn’t reacted to. “No way!”

Waverly buries her head into Nicole’s neck, “I’m so happy.” Nicole can feel the other girl’s warm breath on her exposed skin. The position sends a thought into her mind which she quickly has to brush away as Waverly flops to the side. “Thank you for convincing me to call her.”

Nicole tries to tame the knotted halo around her head as she smiles at the brunette, “I didn’t have to do much convincing.”

“Still,” Waverly gives her a soft smile before she stands up. “So, about your ex.”

Nicole grumbles and throws herself back onto the mattress.

“Do you want to invite them here or do you want to leave them on read? This is a crucial moment.”

Nicole rolls her eyes, “I want to eat breakfast.”

“But, crucial moments,” Waverly giggles.

That laugh makes Nicole want to stand up and kiss her. She fixes her shirt and looks up at the beautiful girl in front of her. “If I ask them here that may get messy.”

“Ooh I love messy,” she winks.

Nicole scrunches her face up, “It’s just weird between us. We never actually dated.”

“Do you want to get laid or do you want to sit on my dorm floor all week,” Waverly pulls her shirt off. Nicole looks down, _sit on your dorm floor all week_. Waverly throws a shirt at Nicole that hits her in the face. She glares at Waverly who is standing by her dresser, a smug look on her face. “Oops. Now spill.”

Nicole shrugs, “Your floor is pretty comfy.”

“Nicole really, do you think you want to see them?”

She shakes her head, her eyes pulling down to the ground again.

“We can go on a double date with Champ, he’s been itching to take me out.”

Nicole frowns down at her hands, “Uh.”

“I want you to meet him, like actually sit down and talk. He’s not such a bad guy, just be your cute self and he’ll love you.” Waverly leans against her door, “I really like him.”

Nicole feels her heart break in half, in the fit of rage that surges through her she unlocks her phone to text Maria but puts it down again as quickly as she picked it up. “I’d love to get to know him better,” Nicole keeps from rolling her eyes.

“Perfect!” She smiles, “We can meet him for lunch.”

“Today?”

Waverly nods.

“Great,” Nicole forces a smile.

The brunette pauses, “Do you want to?”

Nicole nods, “Yeah.”

Waverly frowns, “Do you really?”

The taller girl looks up, “I’m not going to judge him before I know him, Waves if you like him then I like him.” Waverly smiles but still isn’t completely convinced. There have been… things she has noticed about Nicole. Nothing she has problems with per se, but things she can tell the redhead is hiding from her. She’s not blind, she can see how the other girl looks at her, the same way Champ looks at her yet different. Nicole looks at her like she’s the most beautiful girl she’s ever seen and Waverly can tell. She can see the redheads blushed cheeks and the shy smiles or how uncomfortable she gets when Waverly mentions her getting a boyfriend. Waverly picked up on it since day one and she can’t help but think about whether or not her suspicions are true. She wishes Nicole would just come out and say it.

Nicole sits, her fingers yanking through her long red locks. Waverly rolls her eyes and throws a hairbrush at her. Nicole winks before pulling it through her hair, they don’t say much. There’s an awkwardness in the air they both can feel. Nicole waits on Waverly to say they’re leaving for lunch but the words never come, the brunette looks up from her book and says, “You hate Champ. Why?”

Nicole chokes for a second, “What? I don’t hate him.”

“Yes, you do. I can tell, you’re easy to read Nicole.”

Anxiety overcomes the redhead, “I” she stutters.

Waverly’s voice softens, “You hate him?”

“No, I”

“Please tell me the truth.”

Nicole twists her auburn hair around her finger, “I think there are better people you could be dating than Champ Hardy.”

“Like who?” Waverly catches the tone in her voice.

Nicole’s heart rams against her chest, “Someone who appreciates you for the beautiful person you are and I don’t just mean physically, which you are, but I mean on the inside.”

“Nicole.”

“He just wants to use you and throw you away. And it really hurts me to see you just let him do that.”

“What if I don’t care if he uses me?”

Nicole shrugs, “Then go for it, let him fuck you in the bathroom at some shitty sports party then leave you to go smoke with his boys.”

Waverly doesn’t say anything.

“Waverly, I’m sorry.”

“If you feel so strongly about my sex life then why don’t you just leave.”

“That’s not what I meant, Waverly please.”

“It’s not your issue if he fucks me in a bathroom, Nicole.”

“I know but Waverly,” Nicole feels her eyes gloss over. “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m just trying to look out for you.”

“Yeah.” Waverly hears herself, her tone of voice. She doesn’t mean it but she still doesn’t look at Nicole until the redhead collects her things and leaves. Once that bedroom door is shut again Waverly lets out the sob she was holding in her throat.

Nicole finds herself stomping out of the dorm hall and almost running through the quad. She wants to hit something, she wants to scream in the most dramatic way possible. She finds her room empty which makes screaming into her pillows easier. _Why did I say that_ , she repeats over and over again in her head as she pounds on her pillow. Angrily she pulls out her phone. The message from Maria is right there, untouched. She thinks It over again, the idea of exchanging body heat with the soccer player wasn’t one that sounded bad.

She texts her back.

“I miss you too. Yeah, we should meet up, I get out of class at 1 on Friday. Meet up then?” she sends.

Maria doesn’t take long to answer, “Sounds good cutie.”

Nicole falls back asleep only to be woken up by her stomach growling. She eats crackers from under her bed as she stares at the ceiling. It’s going to be a long week.

Monday rolls by quickly, its 12 and Nicole is sitting in the back of her psychology class. She feels Waverly’s eyes, the pressure of them beating down on the side of her face. Nicole doesn’t dare look over to the right. In the reflection of her phone, she can see Waverly watching, the brunette chewing on the cap of her pen. Andrew dismisses the class but before he could even finish talking the shorter girl was stomping towards Nicole. Waverly’s petite frame blocks Nicole’s path, the redhead isn’t fast enough to get around her.

“Can we talk?” Waverly asks softly, her voice low and gentle.

“I’m sorry,” Nicole starts.

“Come walk with me?”

They move slowly, their steps in sync with each other. Nicole tries to apologize again but Waverly stops her, “I shouldn’t have reacted like that, I asked you for your opinion. I just got upset because it’s true,” she shrugs.

“I don’t really know him, maybe he’s not a bad guy,” Nicole says.

“Maybe.”

“Waverly,” they stop. “Really, I’m sorry.”

“Nicole, it’s okay.”

She shakes her head, she wants to say a few things about her feelings for the shorter girl but instead, she hangs her head slightly. “I texted my ex but I think it was a mistake.”

“Why a mistake?”

She looks up, “I like someone else.”

Waverly feels the heat rise on her cheeks, “Oh?”

Nicole pulls back, “Yeah I’ll tell you about it another day.”

Waverly frowns, “That’s rude.”

“Yeah well, you stole my flannel that was kind of rude.”

Waverly shoves her gently, “You said I could borrow it.”

Nicole nods sarcastically, “Yeah, borrow.”

“Jerk,” Waverly giggles.

That sound lights up Nicole’s chest. Something about Waverly keeps her on her toes, there’s not a dull moment when you're with Waverly Earp. Every second is a blessing.

The week blows by as it always does, long and irritating but with Waverly so in the end, it’s a good week. Nicole keeps in contact with Maria, telling her they’ll go to a party together before she leaves again. One night. She can survive one night.

Waverly knows Maria as an old friend from high school, Nicole hasn’t said otherwise. The shorter brunette keeps trying to get Nicole to spill about her crush but all she gives up is that her ex-played soccer and they used to sneak out during school to make out under the bleachers. Waverly purrs as she laid flat on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Nicole watches her from the other side of the room, Maria is due any minute now. She feels the anxiousness flow through her veins, oh god why did she do this to herself.

Nicole feels the buzz of her phone in her back pocket, she’s here.

“Nicole!” Maria wails as she goes to wrap her arms around the redhead. Waverly watches from the side as the tall, curly-haired girl embraces Nicole. Waverly wasn’t one for being awkward but suddenly she left like she should have stayed upstairs. Nicole steps back from the hug, she almost trips over her own feet.

“Maria, this is Waverly, she’s kind of my only friend.”

Waverly rolls her eyes at Nicole as she extends a welcoming hand out to Maria. Her grip is strong, Waverly smiles. Maria makes eyes at the short girl which Nicole notices scornfully, she chimes in again, “Waverly is going to come out with us tonight.”

“Oh, that’ll be fun,” Maria smiles, only looking at Nicole.

The redhead’s stomach flips as she tears her eyes from Maria’s and looks at Waverly. “It’s a house party so it won’t be too crowded.”

Waverly looks back at her, “Yeah, it’s upperclassmen but they’re all really nice.”

Maria looks the redhead up and down, “Nicky how’s your knee?”

The question makes her wince, she shrugs. “Same as it always is.”

Waverly narrows her eyes, “Knee?”

Maria stares between them as Nicole sighs, “My knee is fucked up, I have messed up joints, that’s why I stopped playing basketball.”

“You played basketball?” Waverly gapes.

“Yeah and she was pretty good at it too,” Maria adds, a soft smile on her lips.

Nicole shakes her head, “I was average.”

Maria looks at Waverly and shakes her head, mouthing “No.”

Waverly giggles, the sound cutting through Nicole like she’s butter. The girls get ready in Waverly’s room, Rosita scowled at them the five minutes they were in Nicole’s room. At this point Nicole has a large handful of things at Waverly’s room, she even has her own toothbrush for when she sleeps over. Maria keeps playing with Nicole’s hair as she sits at the desk attempting to line her eyes in black. Waverly watches from her bed, there’s something about the closeness of the two other girls she can’t put a finger on, but nevertheless, it was making her quite jealous.

Nicole isn’t looking forward to the party, she still hates everything about going out, except Waverly’s hand on the back of her neck while she applies the redhead’s makeup for her. It’s loud like it always is. Girls dance with boys they won’t remember the next morning. Waverly finds Champ pretty quickly; the broad wrestler pulls her to their own corner. Nicole gags at the sight of them together. Maria can tell there’s tension so she grabs her hand gently, “Are you alright?”

Nicole nods, “Yeah. Want to dance?”

Nicole wasn’t one for dancing but tonight she didn’t feel much like herself. Like, there’s someone else was in her body. The colored lights bounce off their faces as Maria sings along to Jump by Van Halen. Nicole laughs as the brunette dances by herself, quick and drastic movements that match the song. She thought about kissing her then, but then again, she was also thinking about Champ kissing Waverly.

And Champ did kiss Waverly, he even went as far to ask her to go upstairs with him but she asked if they could just dance a little longer. She wanted to have fun and so far she wasn't having any at all. He mumbles something about fun upstairs but allows himself to get pulled into the crowd. While they begin to dance, Maria gets bored and asks Nicole if she’d go explore the house with her. Nicole didn’t agree nor disagree, she just followed the other girls lead through the crowd. They perch themselves in an empty bedroom, one Nicole begged Maria not to open the door to in case something was going on inside. Maria laughed and pulled the redhead inside.

“I’m glad you texted me back,” the other girl says.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Nicole asks as she sits down on the twin bed.

“I’ve missed you,” Maria sits beside her. “It’s been a long summer.”

Nicole agrees, “Definitely different than last year.”

“Yeah, last year was nice wasn’t it?”

Downstairs, Waverly gets bored quickly. Champ grabs her by the waist and holds her against him. She dances but her mind wanders to where Nicole had gone, have they left her because she went to Champ? _No, Nicole wouldn’t do that._ She tells Champ to find her later as she pries herself from his grip.

Nicole agrees with Maria again, “I think about those long summer nights a lot.”

“I miss feeling like that,” Maria turns her body towards Nicole, “it felt so free running around in the dark like that.”

“Stealing time to be together,” Nicole adds.

“Stealing kisses.”

Nicole smiles, “Yeah.”

They’re silent, staring at each other. Nicole can smell Waverly’s perfume which Maria borrowed wafting off of the other girl, the smell makes her smile. Maria moves closer, being careful of Nicole’s body language. The redhead sees her moving closer and she feels her heart begin to beat faster. Nicole hasn’t kissed anyone since the last time she kissed Maria. The idea still makes her palms sweaty. Their lips meet softly, Nicole tastes the strawberry from Maria’s lip gloss. The other girl smiles, her eyes closed. Nicole kisses her again, soft and sweet like it always was. They stay, their lips melting together until Nicole hears the bedroom door swing open.

That tiny frame stands in the doorway, nothing but a silhouette. Nicole pulls back and stares at her, it only takes a moment for the redhead to realize it’s Waverly.

She stands up. “Oh,” Waverly says.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for reading :) leave a comment! I loveeee reading them xxx

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Leave a comment, I love reading them!!!!! xxx


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